Fathom uses sheet metal manufacturing technology to deliver high-quality parts to its customers. Our team can meet the requirements of your time-sensitive, high-precision, highly complex or short production related projects.
Trust Fathom with your advanced rapid prototyping and on-demand low volume production needs. For over 35 years, Fathom has been working with customers on their sheet metal parts, powered by a global network that includes nationwide coverage across the United States.
Fathom is a technology-driven manufacturer with a rigorous quality policy, focusing on speed, urgency and agility. With a wide range of technologies and materials to choose from, our engineers and designers can offer our customers expert recommendations that meet and exceed their project’s priorities. Fathom has a clearly defined Quality Management System (QMS) with a strong commitment to customer satisfaction that leverages our unique capabilities and continuous improvement initiatives.
Fathom’s certifications include ISO 9001:2015, ISO 9001:2015 Design, ISO 13485:2016, AS9100:2016, NIST 800-171 and ITAR. These specifications ensure all parts are produced to exacting specifications and requirements.
Fathom offers a diverse range of sheet metal processes including wire EDM, chemical etching, wire EDM, forming and more. Our team understands that more than one method is often needed to produce a part. Fathom guides its customers from beginning to end of a project, from design to finishing and assembly.
Fiber laser cutting is an efficient manufacturing process that utilizes a high-power output and high intensity level. During the fiber laser cutting process, a laser diode is transmitted through optical fibers to make desired cuts. The cuts are made within an enclosure without the use of mechanical components. Fiber laser cutting makes less noise and reduces the risk of personal injury to machine operators.
Water jet cutting is often used to make flat parts. During water jet cutting manufacturing, a high-pressure pump forces water through a nozzle to make precise cuts. The cut is made by a balance of velocity and volume. For more abrasive cuts, an abrasive media is combined with water.
Micro water jet cutting is the production of complex, tiny parts. Water jet cutting’s high level of accuracy is what facilitates the manufacturing of parts on a micro level. on a micro-level.
Wire EDM cuts through raw material using electrical currents. Throughout the wire EDM process, the part is submerged in a dielectric fluid where an electrically charged thin metal wire uses electrical sparks to cut. To melt the material, the spark’s voltage jumps the gap from the wire to the raw material. The metal wire never touches the workpiece. The dielectric liquid is used to flush excess material, cool and control the spark.
During stamping, a blanked or or coiled slit to width sheet metal is loaded in a press where the stamping tool is pressed onto the material. The stamping tool or die contains the desired shape of the part. Stamping may include punching, blanking, bending, drawing, embossing and more.
During chemical etching, material is selectively removed by baths of temperature-controlled etching chemicals. Chemical etching offers a shorter lead time and inexpensive tooling, which make it an ideal process for prototyping. Prototype etching may use photochemical machining, chemical milling or acid etching to make a part.
Production etching is perfect for transitioning prototypes into production because it is fast, cost-effective and offers great design flexibility. Like prototype etching, production etching uses photochemical machining or chemical milling to produce metal parts with high precision and intricacies.
CNC punching utilizes a punch press machine with a 2-axis direction. The piece is placed beneath a punching ram which punches a hole or form into the sheet metal. CNC punch press machines can have one head and tool rail design or a multi-turret design.
Welding is facilitated by a combination of heat and pressure to fuse two or more pieces together. Welding services include arc welding, metal inert gas (MIG), tungsten inert gas (TIG), resistance spot welding, laser welding and oxyfuel welding and cutting. Spotwelding may also be used, which uses copper alloy electrodes to direct a welding current.
Fathom offers a complete sheet metal manufacturing program including hardware installation services. Our team can ensure efficiency and great quality for low- and high- volume production.
Fathom offers both sanding and grinding. Grinding removes weld or adds any desired cosmetic surface. Sanding removes scratches or burrs from parts after laser cutting or punching.
Many different finishes can be accomplished through liquid painting including corrosion resistance, custom color and more. Liquid painting is commonly used when powder coating is not applicable.
Powder coating results in a metal workpiece with a professional grade finish that can be smooth, textured, matte and more. Fathom offers a variety of different powder coating options. During powder coating, the workpiece is coated in a powder which is then cured.
Screen printing is available with various finishes and colors. A custom design can also be added to a part using screen printing.
Fathom offers in-house assembly and kitting. Services include installing hardware, manual or automated process, and more. Fathom will ensure your finished part is to your exact specifications.
Fathom’s sheet metal services are available for your fabrication needs. Our manufacturing services include laser cutting, water jet cutting, Microcut™, photochemical machining and wire EDM. Finishing and post-processing services available include welding, deburring, bead blasting, and more. Sheet metal manufacturing is just one of 28 manufacturing services offered by Fathom.
Standard lead times are below, but 24hr expedite options are available.
| Parts | Delivery time |
|---|---|
| 1-50 flat part pieces | 2 days |
| 50-1,000 flat part pieces | 5-7 days |
| 1-500 formed parts | 6-8 days |
| 1-5 drawn part pieces | 10-15 days |
| 4 slide tooled parts | 4-6 weeks |
Fathom’s nationwide coverage includes over 530 machines, including mills, lathes, presses, press brakes, turret punches and additive systems. Fathom’s has equipment dedicated to sheet metal fabrication, including lasers, waterjet machines, finishing tools, autodeburring, 4 slide machines, multi-slide machines, press brakes, 300-ton presses, 22-ton presses, wire EDM machines, seely slide forming tools and 35-ton blanking presses.
Fathom’s services extend beyond sheet metal fabrication to hybridized services leveraging sheet metal fabrication. Need sheet metal fabrication as part of a more complex project? Fathom can handle it. A recent case study is listed below where Fathom delivered 20,000 parts in 27 days using 55+ tools, including metal prototype fabrication services:
A customer came to Fathom with a complex project that spanned the technologies and processes of rapid production—and needed it done fast. Fathom delivered.
55+ Tools to Injection
Mold 15,000 Parts
First Article in 2 Weeks
3,000+ 3D
Printed Parts
2,000+ Metal
Fabricated Parts
3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing—PolyJet, SLS, MJF.
DFM Analysis + CAD Mods.
CNC Machining. Laser Cutting.
Stamping. Die Cutting. Post-Opp Drilling.
24-hour Turnaround Urethane Casting.
Injection + Compression Molding.
Model Finishing. Insert Assembly.
Advanced Project Management.
Fathom is powered by a nationwide network that includes 3 US-based locations. Our nationwide network offers advanced prototyping and manufacturing services including sheet metal fabrication, injection molding, CNC machining, chemical etching, metal 3D printing, and more. We have provided over 200,000 quotes to leading US companies and are ready to quote you on your upcoming project. Contact us today for a fast quote.
Locations include:
COLORADO
7770 Washington Street
Denver, CO 80229
ISO 9001:2015
ITAR
NEW YORK
1920 Slaterville Road
Ithaca, NY 14850
ITAR
401 W. Shore Boulevard
Newark, NY 14513
ISO 9001:2015
AS910:2016
ITAR
A: Yes, Fathom offers metal prototype fabrication.
A: Metal prototype manufacturing is creating a sample or “rough draft” part that can be used to test the form and function before mass production.
A: Fathom’s certifications include ISO 9001:2015, ISO 9001:2015 Design, and ISO 13485:2016. For site-specific certifications, please visit https://fathommfg.com/fathom-manufacturing-certifications.
A: Yes, Fathom is ITAR certified. For site-specific certifications, please visit https://fathommfg.com/fathom-manufacturing-certifications.
A: Yes, Fathom is AS9100:2016. For site-specific certifications, please visit https://fathommfg.com/fathom-manufacturing-certifications.
A: Yes, Fathom’s certifications include NIST 800-171. For site-specific certifications, please visit https://fathommfg.com/fathom-manufacturing-certifications.
A: A sheet metal manufacturer is a service provider that offers manufacturing methods to make parts out of sheet metal material.
A: Sheet metal fabrication is the production of parts from sheet metal and may include processes such as water jet cutting, wire EDM, forming and chemical etching.
A: Engineers use sheet metal because it is a cost-effective, durable, widely available, and scalable solution.
A: Applications of sheet metal include enclosures, appliances, brackets, office equipment, medical products, housing and more.
Do you need a quote from a reliable sheet metal manufacturer? Want to calculate costs for your next project? Fathom’s SmartQuote application provides fast quotes
